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VICTORIA — The B.C. Liberal government’s top adviser on public sector negotiations is leaving his job after seven years in government.

Paul Straszak, president and CEO of the Public Sector Employer’s Council, was instrumental in the development of the government’s recent net-zero bargaining mandate, as well as the current mandate of cooperative gains.

On Sept. 14, he will leave government to take a job as executive director of negotiations and chief negotiator for the British Columbia Medical Association.

Straszak’s departure comes at a critical time for government, with 27,000 members of the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union staging a one-day strike Wednesday.

The union has been without a contract since March and is asking for a wage increase of 3.5 per cent in the first year and a cost-of-living increase in the second year. The government had offered 3.5 per cent over two years, but that offer was withdrawn when strike action began.

Straszak’s departure comes just months ahead of an election that polls suggest will result in a change of government.

In a Tuesday interview, Straszak said the May election had nothing to do with his decision.

“For me it’s a tremendous opportunity and an exciting environment and sector to negotiate in,” Straszak said, adding the offer came after the BCMA’s chief negotiator announced his retirement.

Straszak added that much of his role in the government’s co-operative gains mandate took place in the planning and strategy stages, and that the real work now lies with the negotiators.

“The government strategy for the co-operative gains round — and that’s where our chief role is — has been set for close to a year ago now,” he said. “What we’re seeing right now is very much the playing out of that strategy.”

Straszak, who has negotiated for Canada Post, BC Rail and others, first came to government in 2005, when he sat as the province’s chief negotiator across the table from BCGEU’s then-president George Heyman.

He later moved to become an associate deputy minister of labour, and three years ago, went to head the Public Sector Employer’s Council, which advises on human resource management and labour relations for the public sector.

In a brief written statement Tuesday, BCGEU president Darryl Walker said of Straszak: “I’ve always found him to be honest and forthright. You always know with Paul what you’re dealing with. I look forward to the chance to work with him again in the future.”

New Democratic Party labour critic Shane Simpson said he does not know Straszak’s situation, or what compelled him to leave.

But he added that he believes many senior officials in government are looking for other opportunities now, in large part due to a belief the current government won’t last beyond the next election.

“I would assume that the polling numbers have people starting to look around at whether there are other opportunities because they clearly have some uncertainty about what’s in front of them and what they face,” he said.

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B.C. Liberal government’s top bargaining adviser leaves for BCMA

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